


The Most Queer Sensation

by elletromil



Series: Nevermore alone [5]
Category: Altered Carbon (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 06:08:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17278517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elletromil/pseuds/elletromil
Summary: Poe's the one who has been hurt this time.





	The Most Queer Sensation

It was bound to happen sooner or later.

Synth bodies are resilient but they aren't indestructible. It might give immunity against most diseases, but it doesn't protect against repetitive stabbing.

Nor the torture that came before that.

Were Kovacs anyone else, he would think it a small mercy that at least Poe had only been gone for a day. But he knows better than most. The things that can be done in seemingly such a short span of time are innumerable.

Even if he doesn't want Poe anywhere than in the hospital right now, he catches himself wishing he was still at the storehouse himself.

He's patient right until he isn't anymore. Waiting for someone he car- Waiting for a partner to wake up from an induced coma has never been something he's been good at. The wait would go faster if he could still be hitting people. Give back to them the pain they had inflicted Poe a thousandfold.

The last two days or so have been a harsh reminder of Poe's very real mortality now.

Kovacs can always get another body if anything unlucky happens to the one he's using now. And they've got enough money squirreled away that he also has a back-up stack stashed away if his current one gets corrupted.

Poe doesn't have that luxury. He's an AI. His consciousness is incompatible with a stack. If he dies, that's it for him. He's dead. There will be no miraculous coming back to life. He already used his miracle after the Bancroft's case.

But those aren’t thoughts for today.

The doctors have predicted that Poe would make a complete recovery with no complications whatsoever.

He’s slipped from the induced coma into natural sleep not long ago, but Kovacs has been instructed not to wake him up. He waits only because his guilt outweigh his impatience.

It's his fault that Poe has been hurt.

Yes, Poe can do whatever he damn pleases. Even more so now that he’s got his synth body. Kovacs doesn't have a say in what he decides to do.

Even if Poe has decided to stick with Kovacs for some confounded reason. That still doesn't make Kovacs responsible for his choices.

Except, it does a bit.

He doesn't live dangerously on purpose. But he's under no illusion that the way he goes about his business is safe or even sane. Poe is well aware of the risks. More than anyone else after a year of travelling together.

And he's been hurt before. Just not like this.

Before, it was because he’s decided to help Kovacs get out of the trouble that follows him everywhere.

It's never been because someone got interested in  _him_. Poe’s a rarity. One of a kind really.

An AI in a synth body.

To Kovacs, it makes no difference. Poe’s Poe. But to mostly everyone else, they don't see the living being. They see him as a  _thing_.

Of course, they know how to cover their tracks. And Poe's not an idiot. He's not going around telling people he's an AI.

But that's the kind of information that will always resurface. Especially when one hangs around the likes of Kovacs. He attracts the attention of all kind of unsavory characters. Of course some are bound to take notice of his partner. And decide they're more interested in him than they are in Kovacs.

It's what happened this time.

If he hadn't already cracked Baxter’s skull on the ground while rescuing Poe… He doesn't even know what exactly he would do to him. Only that it would be bloody.

Then Poe stirs and he forgets that Baxter even existed.

“Hrmm... Kovacs?” Poe tries to sit up, but Kovacs pushes gently on his shoulders until he's sure he’ll stay put. “Where're we?”

It would be funny how Poe sounds so out of it if it wasn't for the fact that he had been nearly stabbed to death a few hours prior.

“The hospital.” Apparently that was the wrong thing to say. Poe who had been busy blinking owlishly, now looks alarmed and gives sitting up another attempt. “Stop moving.”

“Are you hurt?” One of Poe's hand come up to wrap around Kovacs’ wrist. It's a familiar touch that shouldn't feel so comforting.

“I'm fine.” His definition of ‘fine’ varies from Poe's by a lot, but in this case, it's not a lie. He's got some grazes and his knuckles hurt, but nothing's bleeding. “You're not. Well. You are now. But you were stabbed.”

“Oh. Yes.” For a moment, Poe's silent. It’s weird and unnatural. It makes Kovacs want to shake him or hug him. Both. Either. Thankfully, Poe starts blabbering again before it becomes so awkward that Kovacs fills the silence himself. “It hurt quite a lot. More than I thought it would. The most queer sensation really.  I'm not recommending it to anyone. From now on, I'll leave the being stabbed to you.”

It's a joke. He knows it's one. Usually, he wouldn't even bother reacting to it. But nothing has been usual these past couple of days.

He's the one who should be on the bed, Poe hovering about to make sure he’s not making his injuries worse. He can't say he likes this role reversal they've been forced into playing.

“Yes. You do that.” He's still holding onto Poe's shoulders and Poe's still clutching at one of his wrist. Like this, Poe cannot miss the tremors that Kovacs is trying his best to suppress.

There's a subtle intake of breath from Poe, surprised at receiving an answer when he wasn't expecting any. Kovacs can see him fight the sweet lull of the drugs that are still in his system, his gaze searching. Then Poe's expression softens and he tugs on his arm with what must be all the strength left in his synth body.

Which is quite a lot. And it takes Kovacs entirely by surprise.

One second he's sitting on the edge of Poe's bed. The next he's half sprawled on him and it can't be comfortable. Kovacs has been stabbed enough times to know this. Even with the best care money can buy, there's nothing to be done against the soreness that's left behind.

Nonetheless, Poe is holding him tightly and Kovacs doesn't really want to get away. So he stays there, awkwardly trying not to lay too heavily on him, his face pressed against the crook of Poe's neck.

“Thank you.”

Poe doesn't elaborate on why and Kovacs merely grunts in acknowledgement.

He gets a kiss on his forehead in return, Poe's lips stretched unmistakably in a smile. He tucks himself back under Kovacs not long after, sighing with what sounds like contentment of all things.

“I fear I won't be good company. I'm feeling rather drowsy at the moment.”

But as Poe rambles on in his ear, it's Kovacs who falls asleep.


End file.
